HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA
A Record of Settlement,
Organization, Progress and AchievementVOLUME I ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING
COMPANY 1912

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THE INDICTMENT
OF GEO. EFFERTS
AND PETER NEW
FOR STARTING THE
CARROLL FIRE OF
I879—THE NEW
RAILROADS FROM
CARROLL TO
KIRKMAN AND
AUDUBON—THE 1880
DEBT STATEMENT
OF CARROLL
COUNTY—REMOVAL
OF HOYT BUILDING
FROM CARROLL
FIRE
LIMITS—NARROW
ESCAPE OF C. C.
COLCLO FROM
DROWNING—ORGANIZATION
OF JEFF C. DAVIS
POST AT
CARROLL—INCORPORATION
OF THE TOWN OF
MANNING—DISASTROUS
FIRE AT
MANNING—NEW TOWN
OF
TEMPLETON—DEDHAM—COON
RAPIDS—THE
MURDER OF THOMAS
MAHER AT ARCADIA
BY THOMAS
FAY—THE BIG
GLIDDEN FIRE OF
CHRISTMAS
EVE—COL. COOKE
ELECTED
DEPARTMENT
COMMANDER OF THE
G. A.
R.—LYNCHING OF
TEXAS
DESPERADOES AT
HARLAN—FIRE
CAUSES LARGE
WASTE OF ARCADIA
PROPERTY—THE
HANGING OF OLD
MAN JELLERSON
AND ITS
RESULTS—DEFALCATION
OF COUNTY
TREASURER W. R.
RUGGLES—GRADUAL
TREND OF CARROLL
COUNTY FROM
REPUBLICAN TO
DEMOCRATIC
PREDILECTIONS—RUGGLES'
BONDSMEN MUST
PAY.

1880.

November 2—At
the general
election Carroll
county cast the
following
presidential
vote: Garfield,
1,189; Hancock,
1,169; Weaver,
104. P. M.
Guthrie of
Carroll, who was
this year
nominated by the
democrats for
congress,
received 1,261
votes against
1,102 for
Carpenter. Wm.
Lynch, Jr., was
re-elected clerk
of courts. For
recorder, John
Messersmith
received 1,274
votes against
1,098 for J. P.
Hess. Other
officials
elected:
Surveyor, R.
Hill; coroner,
D. Wayne;
supervisors,
Geo. E. Russell,
James Thompson.
With the
exception of
Lynch and
Thompson the
republicans
elected their
ticket.

November
21—James McVay's
livery stable at
Glidden broken
into and a pair
of horses,
buggy, double
harness and fur
robes stolen.
Value of the
property $400.
The outfit was
the property of
A. W. Dawson.

November
21—Major A. E.
Anderson has
resigned as
district
attorney and is
succeeded by E.
B. Eaton of
Sidney by
appointment of
the governor.

November 24—An
examination by
the grand jury
of the county
jail results in
the condemnation
of the building
as unfit to
harbor prisoners
on account of
the filthy
condition.
Carroll county
prisoners are
sent to Council
Bluffs for safe
keeping. The
body recommends
a new jail.

December 6—A new
fire company
with eighteen
charter members
is formed at
Carroll and the
following
officers
elected: Chief,
James Thompson;
assistant, Sam
Todd; 2d
assistant, F.
Sprague;
secretary, C.
Casher;
treasurer, C. S.
Whitman; engine
keeper, Wm.
Miller.

December
8—Engineers are
surveying a line
to run from the
first station
south of Carroll
on the Harlan
branch to
Audubon.

December
12—Arcadia with
one-fourth of
the population
of Carroll has
seven saloons
while Carroll
has six. The
saloons at
Arcadia run
without license,
the town not
being
incorporated.
Glidden requires
saloon keepers
to give a bond
of $500 in
addition to the
license and has
but one saloon.

The stations on
the new railroad
southwest from
Carroll are now
being located
and named. The
first, on the
northwest
quarter of
section 18,
Roselle
township,
between eight
and nine miles
southwest of
Carroll, is
called Halbur.
This is the only
town on the new
line in Carroll
county. The
second station,
being in Iowa
township,
Crawford county,
just across the
county line, is
called Manning.
The expectation
was that this
town would be in
Carroll county
but it was not
possible to
procure the land
where the
company desired
at a reasonable
price. [It was
afterwards
located in
Warren township,
Carroll county.]
The third
station is nine
miles from
Manning in
Shelby county,
called Irwin.
The terminus of
the road will be
at Kirkman,
seven miles from
Harlan. The
price of
business lots in
the new towns
are $100 to $200
with liberal
reductions to
those who build:
Residence lots,
$100 to $150.
The survey of
the C. M. & St.
P. road from
Marion to
Council Bluffs
runs directly
through the town
plat of Manning.
Should the road
be built there
Manning will
make one of the
best towns in
this part of
Iowa. It is
expected that
trains will be
running on the
Carroll-Kirkman
branch by the
first of next
July.

1881.

January 10—The
debt statement
of Carroll is
reported by
County Auditor
H. E.

January 10—From
annual report
(1880) of G. W.
Wattles,
superintendent
of schools:
Certificates
applied for,
208; issued, 38
first class; 69
second class; 70
third class; 31
rejected. At the
institute in
September 101
teachers were
enrolled and
sixty-three
examined. Six
frame
schoolhouses
have been built
during the year.
There are now
117 schoolhouses
in the county
and 136 schools,
all but six of
which are in
session. The
latter are not
in operation for
the reason that
competent
teachers are not
obtainable.

February 12—The
most violent
snow storm of a
very severe
winter continued
three days,
blockading the
railroads to
such an extent
that no trains
could get
through from
Thursday until
the following
Tuesday. A train
on the Maple
river
Sic
[River] branch
left the
junction Friday
and was a full
week in making
the round trip.
The train on the
Sac City branch
from Wall Lake
was snow bound
ten days. The
mail carrier
from Carroll to
Audubon left
Carroll Tuesday
and had not
reported the
following
Monday. He
abandoned his
team in Eden
township and
made the rest of
the trip on
foot. Snow is
again falling
heavily and is
drifting before
a heavy wind.

March 2—M.
Miller now
occupies his new
store room on
Fifth street,
one of the
finest in
Carroll.

March 16—The
Chicago,
Milwaukee & St.
Paul railroad
has filed for
record a
mortgage which
states that the
company
contemplates
building a line
of road from
Marion, in Linn
county, to
Council Bluffs,
a portion of
which will pass
through Carroll
county. It is,
however, by no
means certain
that the line
will run through
this county. The
latest reports
are to the
effect that it
will run
considerably
south of the
county line.
Railroad rumors
are proverbially
unreliable, and
the truth is no
one aside from
the principal
officials know
the real
intentions of
the company.

March 21—A
meeting was held
at the
courthouse to
resurrect the
Carroll County
Agricultural
society, and a
committee of Wm.
Gilley, S. C.
Martin and E.
Lincoln
appointed to
determine the
steps to be
taken.

March 30—M.
Kimbal has
purchased the
James Rookes'
place near
Carroll. It
consists of 15
acres, for which
he paid $1,100.

April 4—Ferguson
& Chambers' safe
at Glidden blown
open by burglars
and $300 taken.

April 6—The
Carroll
authorities have
commenced work
to remove M. A.
Hoyt's building
to a place
outside of the
fire limits and
the building
will start on
its travels
today. They are
acting under the
provision of an
agreement signed
by M. A. Hoyt &
Bro. made in
consideration of
a permit to
erect and use a
frame building
until December
1st, 1880. Mr.
Hoyt forbade any
one to attempt
to remove his
building and
threatens to
resort to legal
measures. The
removal of the
building was
accomplished to
a point a short
distance from
its foundation
on Main street,
when a storm set
in and it was
impossible to
proceed further
at the time.
When work could
be resumed the
building was set
up on new
foundations on a
lot west of
Burke's hotel.
During these
delays Mr. Hoyt
procured an
injunction
forbidding
interference
with his
property. The
council met in
special session
and passed an
ordinance curing
certain defects
in the fire
ordinance as
originally
drawn.

May 4—Dr. H. T.
Emeis has
arrived in
Carroll and
formed a
business
partnership with
Dr. Lane.

May 18—C. C.
Colclo and Van
Tuttle, of
Carroll, came
near drowning in
the river at
Grant City. They
were on a
fishing
excursion with
several others
and started to
cross the water
a short distance
above the dam in
a boat with a
single oar. The
river was high
and a tremendous
body of water
was pouring over
the dam with a
fall of fifteen
feet. Seeing it
was certain the
boat would go
over both men
jumped, Tuttle
landing in shoal
water and made
his way to the
bank. Colclo was
not so fortunate
and was almost
instantly swept
over the dam. He
did not come to
the surface for
what seemed an
age. Just as his
friends were
giving up hope
Colclo's head
bobbed above the
surface and he
struck out
boldly for the
shore, where he
arrived with his
hat still on his
head and a
half-smoked
cigar in his
teeth. While he
was rolling
around in the
water below the
dam he did not
have time to
take off his hat
or throw away
his cigar.

May 25—It was
discovered by
the builders of
the Milwaukee
road at its
crossing with
the Audubon
branch survey in
Warren township
that by the
surveys adopted
the lines
crossed each
other three
times in less
than a mile. The
Milwaukee,
suspecting the
location of the
branch road to
have been made
to prevent any
crossing at all,
rushed in teams
and men from all
parts of the
system until
they had
assembled at
this point an
army of 300.
With this force
they put through
their grade in
one night. After
a suit the
Milwaukee was
forced to pay
the Northwestern
$38,000 in order
to cross the
Kirkman branch,
already
constructed and
in operation.
The
Northwestern,
however, was
required to pay
back the same
amount for its
right of way
over the
Milwaukee track
for the Audubon
branch. Many
rumors of war
attended these
bickerings but
the troubles all
ended without
bloodshed.

May 25—Wm.
Gilley has men
at work on his
lot, corner of
Main and Fifth
streets, putting
in the
foundation for a
brick building
23x66 feet to
consist of two
stories.

May
30—Decoration
day was observed
for the first
time in Carroll.

June 1—Judge
Reed issued an
order suspending
Sheriff Bechler
for misconduct
in office. That
Bechler is badly
behind on funds
collected on
executions is
beyond question,
but how much
these sums
amount to nobody
has any idea,
Bechler least of
all.

June 23—Grand
Mustering
Officer A.
Culley of Des
Moines
instituted Jeff
C. Davis Post,
G. A. R., with a
membership of
thirty-five.
There is much
enthusiasm among
the old soldiers
and it is
believed the
post will soon
be one of the
strongest in the
state. Following
are the officers
of the new
order:

John B. Cooke,
Commander.

F. M. Meade,
Vice-Sen.
Commander.

D. A. Cudworth,
Jr. V.
Commander.

W. L.
Culbertson,
Quartermaster.

Wm. Lynch, Jr.,
Adjutant.

Rev. T. S.
Bailey,
Chaplain.

J. W. Hatton,
Surgeon.

J. R. Lowrey,
Officer of the
Day.

L. Putzel,
Officer of the
Guard.

D. Daily, Q. M.
Sergeant.

H. H. Ranger,
Sergeant Major.

July 6—The Board
of Supervisors
are in session
to arrange for
an early
completion of
the poor house.

This vicinity
was visited by
the heaviest
rain ever known,
sixteen inches
of water falling
in the three
hours during
which it
continued. The
Southwestern
track was badly
washed and it
will take weeks
to repair the
damage. The new
grade of the
Milwaukee also
suffered
greatly. The
flood swept
8,000 brick out
of O'Neal's yard
together with
two thousand
feet of lumber.
County and
railroad bridges
in every
direction were
washed out.
Owing to these
conditions no
mails were
received from
Wednesday until
Saturday. The
railroad bridge
over the Des
Moines river at
Moingona went
down under a
freight train
and several were
killed. Kate
Shelley, by
crossing the
bridge on the
frame work and
girders on her
hands and knees,
saved a
passenger train
from a like
fate.

August 2—The
four children in
the family of
August Battles,
of Roselle
township, have
died within the
past month of
diphtheria.

August 3—The
representative
convention of
the district
composed of
Greene, Calhoun
and Carroll
counties met at
the court house.
H. W. Macomber
of Carroll was
nominated on the
second ballot by
a majority of
one over the
present member,
S. T. Hutchinson
of Calhoun.

August 24—At the
new town of
Manning
fifty-three lots
are already sold
and there is
talk of
incorporating
the town. The
towns expects to
have 306
inhabitants
before the end
of the year.

August 25—W. T.
Minchen,
president of
the Carroll
County Bank,
sells the
bank and
business to
A. W.
Patterson &
Bro. of
Gilman,
Iowa. The
new firm has
reorganized
the bank
with a
capital of
$50,000. J.
W. Thomas
remains as
cashier.

August 26—Gotleib
Schleissman,
aged 13, son of
Adam Schleissman,
living in Kniest
township, was
driving a
harvester in a
field of flax
when a tornado
suddenly swept
through the
farm, blowing
him from his
seat in front of
the sickle of
the machine,
frightfully
mangling his
body and killing
the child at
once.

September 11—St.
Anthony's
Institute, the
academy designed
by the
Franciscan
sisters a year
ago, will
commence its
first school
year October 4.
The building is
large and
comfortable. The
school is in
charge of Sister
Felicitas.

October
1—Several
buildings in
course of
erection at
Manning were
blown down by a
tornado. The
damage was not
great. The large
Catholic church
at Vail, erected
two years ago,
was leveled to
the ground.

October 5—S. L.
Wilson of
Manning is
buying the
material for a
paper in that
town for which
he has chosen
the name of
The Monitor.
A Mr. Stowell is
about to begin
the publication
of a paper at
Coon Rapids
called
The Enterprise.

November 2—E. R.
Hastings has
been appointed
postmaster at
Carroll for
another term of
four years.

November 16—John
Nestle of
Marshalltown has
bought of D.
Wayne the
business lot on
Main street
adjoining the
Bowdish
building.

December 6—The
first issue of
the Manning
Monitor
announces that
the first
religious
service in that
town was
conducted by
Rev. Elliott of
the M. E. Church
on Sunday, the
4th. The
minister has
arranged for
regular services
in the future.

December 28—St.
Joseph's parish
has placed a
1,200 pound
bell, costing
$400, in the
steeple of the
church.

December 29—A
membership of 45
was reported at
the annual
meeting of Jeff
C. Davis Post,
G. A. R.

1882.

February 5—H. C.
Stevens has
retired from
business and has
been succeeded
by C. R. Ludwig,
a brother of his
former partner.

March 10—A vote
on incorporation
at Manning
resulted in 171
for to four
against the
proposition. At
the ensuing
election (March
10) for city
officials John
R. Collomore
received 122 and
J. R. Benson 82.
George E. Hunt
was elected
recorder and
Byron E. Whaten
assessor;
treasurer, O. E.
Dutton; marshal,
H. Chapman;
councilmen—J. M.
Turner, N. F.
Shear, P. A.
Emery, M.
Hoffman, J. L.
McQuaid, R. F.
Tidd. The number
of votes cast
was 209. At the
first meeting
the council
passed an
ordinance fixing
saloon licenses
at $300 with a
bond of $1,000
for
non-violation of
the law. The
birth of Manning
as a municipal
corporation was
attended with a
great deal of
excitement and
ended in a
crushing defeat
to what was
known as the
"Geo. Makepeace"
faction.

March 10—The
Alex McArthur
farm, five miles
southwest of
Carroll,
containing 485
acres of well
improved land,
has been
purchased by
John Rogers, of
Carroll
township, and
Edward Osborne
of Hazel Green,
Wis., Mr. Rogers
buying 160 acres
and Mr. Osborne
what remains.
The price was
$12,000 cash, or
a small fraction
less than $25
per acre.

March 13—The
Grant City mill
with 800 bushels
of wheat and 2
tons of flour
tumbled into the
river and is a
complete wreck.
An effort is
being made to
secure funds for
rebuilding the
mill by the
circulation of a
public
subscription
paper.

April 5—The
frame of the
first store
building at
Dedham, 20x66
feet, was blown
down. Strong
Davis was on the
frame at the
time and by
jumping saved
himself from
severe injury.

April 10—A fire
at Manning,
originating at 8
o'clock in the
(Sunday) evening
in Heintzelman &
Moody's dry
goods and
grocery store,
destroyed
thirteen
buildings. The
origin of the
fire is not
known but
incendiarism is
suspected. It
was discovered
in the rear of
the Heintzelman
& Moody store,
where the fire
had made so much
headway it was
impossible to
save any but a
small part of
the stock,
valued at
$7,000. There
were neither
fire apparatus
nor water at
hand with which
to check the
flames, which
burned until all
of the material
was exhausted to
feed upon. The
entire
population
turned its
attention to
saving as much
of the movable
property as
possible. The
loss was as
follows:
Collamore &
Priest, general
store, $4,000;
Wetherill &
Marsh, hardware,
building $1,600,
stock, $3,000;
Whaten Bros.,
groceries,
building and
stock, $5,000;
Stocker's
butcher shop,
$200;
Garstenberg's
saloon, building
and contents,
$1,600; Hoffman
& Shook, dry
goods, $3,000;
postoffice,
$300; McQuaid &
Hamilton,
grocers, stock
and building,
$3,000; M. B.
Freelove, three
buildings,
$3,000; Webb's
saloon and
boarding house,
$2,500. A large
portion of the
possible loss
was saved, as
the fire did not
burn rapidly on
account of
previous wet
weather, and
stocks could be
carried to
safety.

April 12—Matilda
Fletcher
lectured at
Carroll on the
"Mistakes of
Ingersoll."

May 31—The new
town of
Templeton is
located in the
center of the
Wm. Overmire
farm and on what
was once an
immense corn
field. Three
buildings are
now erected and
ready for
plastering and
painting. The
first building,
22x60, was put
up by Wm. Pexsie,
and will be
occupied by Wm.
Hayward with the
postoffice and a
stock of goods.
One of the other
building belongs
to Mr. Sherwood
and will be
occupied by a
general store.
Wm. Overmire's
building will be
used as a
restaurant and
hotel. The Joyce
Lumber company
is making
preparations to
put in a lumber
yard. The first
social event of
the town was a
dance at the
Pexsie building
in which fifty
young couples
participated.
The town has a
promising
future.

June 8—The Arf
hotel and
several other
buildings were
destroyed by
fire at Arcadia
with a total
loss of about
$5,000. The
intelligent and
active work of
the fire
department saved
a much greater
loss. But for
this work the
fire would have
swept the town.

July 3—At the
special election
to vote on the
constitutional
prohibitory
amendment the
result in
Carroll county
is as follows:

For the
amendment...................
1,138

Against the
amendment............
1,556

Majority
against...............
418

June 21—A man
named Schnetzer
died at Manning
from the
smallpox in an
aggravated form.

July 5—Louis
Keckevoet, one
of the first
German settlers
of Carroll
county, died at
his home as the
result of an
accident. He got
up from bed and
went to the pump
for a drink,
when he fainted
on the stairs
and fell to the
walk. His family
were asleep and
did not hear him
and he laid for
some time until
discovered by
some one
passing. As a
result of his
injuries
peritonitus set
in the next day
and he died
after three days
of great
suffering. Mr.
Keckevoet was
born in Germany
at Welderengen,
Westphalia, in
1843. He and his
family came to
Carroll county
in 1875 from
Dubuque,
settling at
Hillsdale, where
he set up a
general store, a
short time after
locating in
Carroll and
engaging in
merchandizing.
Mr. Keckevoet
died in his
forty-sixth year
and his passing
is deeply
mourned in all
parts of Carroll
county.

August 2—The
Carroll fire
department
received a new
hook and ladder
truck from the
factory of G. M.
Needles at
Atlantic. The
truck was
received by the
entire company
of twenty-eight
men in full
uniform. At the
engine house the
crowd was so
large that a
half could not
get in. The
ladies gave a
voting contest
to raise funds
for the company.
The napkin ring
to the most
popular fireman
was won by Major
W. August Forda.

August 16—The
new town of Coon
Rapids, the plat
of which has
hardly had time
to get cold,
aims to be the
second city in
point of
population in
the county in a
very short time.
The Milwaukee
road placed the
business lots on
the market very
low, some of the
best on Main
street being
$75, making it a
condition that
the buildings
should be
something more
substantial than
shanties. To
insure this
result the
company refuses
to give a deed
until buildings
are completed
and are found to
come up to the
required
standard. The
principal firms
of the town are:
E. & W. Garst,
general
merchandise;
George Ferguson,
hardware; Putnam
& Morris,
general
merchandise;
Runyon Bros.,
drugs; Coon
Rapids bank, J.
Cooney, manager;
Steele &
Johnson,
furniture; Jos.
Miller,
clothing;
Harris, Morris &
Co., lumber; Ira
Dermone,
groceries;
Reynolds hotel;
M. F. Stowell,
hardware; John
B. Cooke,
implements; Dr.
Garst,
physician.

September 6—H.
E. Brooks has
purchased all
other interests
in the flouring
mill at Carroll.

September 13—The
vote at Manning
on the question
of issuing
$5,000 bonds to
secure a depot
of the Milwaukee
was carried by
140 for to three
votes against.

September
18—Thomas Fay, a
saloon keeper at
Arcadia, shot
and killed
Thomas Maher, a
man who had
lived in the
town from its
beginning and
who was known to
be a quiet
citizen. Maher
was a drayman
and there had
been disputes
between him and
Fay concerning
freights. Fay
was abusive at
these times. On
the day of the
shooting a
freight train
brought a keg of
beer for Fay,
who wanted Maher
to take it to
his saloon at
once. Maher's
refusal made him
angry and he
carried the beer
to the saloon
himself. In the
evening Maher
strolled into
the place and
told Fay he had
better take the
beer back or
receipt for it.
A quarrel arose
and a fight
ensued in which
Maher received
three stabs from
a knife in Fay's
hand. The wound
which killed was
a stab in the
abdomen. Maher
lived during the
night but died
the following
morning. A
coroner's jury
was impaneled
and rendered the
following
verdict:

We, the jury in
the inquest held
on the body of
Thomas Maher,
find that he
came to his
death from a
stab by a knife
in the hand of
Thomas Fay,
September 18,
1882, in the
town of Arcadia,
Carroll county,
Iowa.

[Note.—Fay was
convicted of
murder and
received a life
sentence. Some
years later he
was pardoned by
act of the
governor.]

September
23—Henry
Schleissman, the
eleven-year-old-son
of Henry
Schleissman, of
Kniest township,
was gored to
death by a bull.
At evening the
lad went to the
pasture for the
cows as usual
but did not
return. The
child's body was
found the next
morning
fearfully
mangled. This is
the second child
of this family
to meet with a
fatal accident
within a few
months.

A proposition
for a tax to
build a new
court house was
also submitted
at this election
and defeated by
a vote of 656
for to 1,546
against—majority
against 890.

December
25—Christmas eve
found the people
of Glidden
fighting the
flames in the
midst of a high
wind and a
blinding storm.
The fire
originated in
the oil room of
McVay's drug
store at 10:30
at night and was
beyond the
control of all
of the
facilities at
hand when
discovered. The
McVay place was
near the center
of the long row
of buildings
used for
business
purposes, all of
which were built
of wood. The
district,
described as
follows, was
reduced to
ashes: Foster
Bros.' drug
store; Henry
Pruss, saloon
and billiard
hall and meat
market; Dave
Atkinson,
building
occupied by
Newsboy
office and T. A.
Cochran's real
estate office;
John Vaughn,
saloon;
Waldron's
jewelry store;
George Chambers,
hardware. Here a
really
remarkable piece
of work was done
in checking the
fire. Between
Atkinson's
building and the
Bonner shoe
store was an
alley three feet
wide. Here the
defenders
stationed
themselves with
a small hand
engine and a
bucket brigade
and succeeded in
staying the fire
and saving the
remaining
business portion
of the town. The
Masonic and Odd
Fellows lodges
were involved in
the destruction.
The fire to the
south stopped
with the burning
of the Chambers
building. The
loss is
estimated at
$35,000.

Dec. 31—Rev. T.
S. Bailey,
pastor of the
Carroll
Presbyterian
church, preached
his last sermon
as resident
minister. He has
been chosen
synodical
missionary of
the general
Presbyterian
body and enters
upon his new
work at once.

H. C. Ford
purchases the
Carroll
Sentinel
and assumes full
charge as editor
and publisher.

Dr. J. W.
Gustine leaves
Carroll to make
his future home
in Florida.

J. C. Holmes
discontinued the
Glidden
Newsboy
after the recent
fire and has
established a
paper called
The Times
at Bayard.

April 4, 5—At
the annual
encampment of
the G. A. R.,
department of
Iowa, held at
Des Moines, Col.
John B. Cooke,
of Jeff C. Davis
Post, was
elected
department
commander. Upon
the return of
Col. Cooke to
Carroll a
popular
reception was
held in his
honor at Joyce's
hall. Col. Cooke
appointed the
following staff:
Adjutant
general, W. L.
Culbertson;
acting assistant
adjutant
general, Wm.
Lynch, Jr.;
quarter master
general, John K.
Deal; aid de
camp and chief
of staff, J. W.
Hatton—all of
the latter
members of Jeff
C. Davis Post.

May 25—Dr. S. M.
Ballard, one of
the
commissioners
appointed to
locate the
original county
seat of Carroll
county, died at
his home at
Council Bluffs.

May 26—Major W.
Augustus Fonda
admitted to
practice before
the bar of
Carroll county.

May 26—The new
Catholic church
at Mt. Cannel
burned with
scarcely an
article of value
saved. The
origin of the
fire is unknown.
The building was
of brick, 140x80
feet, and was
erected at a
cost of $15,000.
The interior was
not yet fully
completed.

June 20—The
passenger trains
on the north
branch now run
from Carroll
instead of Maple
River Junction.

June 28—At an
election upon
the question of
issuing $2,500
bonds to build a
schoolhouse on
the south side
at Carroll, 37
votes were cast,
all favorable to
the measure.

July 13—Three
robbers, who
robbed and shot
R. L. Clingun,
postmaster at
Polk City, took
refuge in
Elkhorn grove,
in Shelby
county, where
they were
surrounded by a
force of 500
armed men from
the surrounding
country. One of
the posse was
killed and two
others wounded
before the
capture of the
last man was
effected. Of the
robbers, Ben
Gates was
riddled with
bullets and
killed. Wm.
Purdy was hanged
by the mob. The
third, Hardy,
was voted a
reprieve by his
captors on
account of his
assertions of
innocence and
bravery and
given into the
hands of the
sheriff of
Shelby county.
He was later
lynched by a
second mob. The
desperadoes were
from Dennison,
Texas.

[Note—This
episode is the
most famous
criminal event
ever known in
Western Iowa.]

August 1—R. R.
Woodring removes
to Carroll from
Marshalltown.

August 8—A fire
starting in the
City Saloon at
Coon Rapids
spread to Ish's
building on the
east and Reddigs
shoe store and
Caswell's
restaurant on
the east.

August
26—Presbyterian
church at
Manning
dedicated, Rev.
R. F. Coyle of
Fort Dodge
officiating,
assisted by Rev.
T. S. Bailey.
The cost of the
church building
is $2,000.

August 29—A bell
weighing with
fixtures 4,552
pounds has been
installed in the
belfry of the
new Catholic
church at Mt.
Carmel.

October 28—An
election at
Breda gave a
large majority
in favor of
incorporation.

November 12—By
the accidental
discharge of a
gun while
hunting on Storm
creek bottom the
arm of E. M.
Parsons of
Carroll was shot
off.

December 2—The
German
Evangelical
church at
Carroll
dedicated with
services by Rev.
Jacob Henn,
presiding elder,
assisted by Rev.
Henry
Hiebenthall, the
pastor. The
building cost
$1,850 and was
dedicated out of
debt.

1884.

January 1—Paul
Maclean joins as
a partner with
E. R. Hastings
in the
publication and
editorship of
the Carroll
Herald.

January 16—R.
Hastings
re-appointed
postmaster at
Carroll.

February 20—Dr.
L. Q. Spaulding,
homeopathist,
begins the
practice of
medicine at
Carroll.

April 9—A
company of the
Iowa National
Guard, taking
the title of
Company E, First
Regiment, has
been made a part
of the regular
armed force of
the state. The
following
officers have
been elected by
the company,
which is
composed of
fifty enlisted
men and
non-commissioned
officers:
Captain, Geo. R.
Cloud; first
lieutenant, J.
H. Stewart;
second
lieutenant, R.
E. Coburn.

April 12—Hon. M.
Miller has
purchased the
Carroll
Sentinel
from H. C. Ford
and becomes its
sole proprietor
and editor.

April 30—A
farmer by the
name of Smythe
living near
Dedham, his
brother-in-law
Wilson living in
the vicinity of
Coon Rapids, and
a brother of
their respective
wives, Cicero
Jellerson, are
in jail at
Audubon charged
with the murder
of old man
Jellerson, the
father-in-law
and father of
all of the
parties
concerned. The
three went to
the house of the
old man in Viola
township,
Audubon county,
at night and
taking the old
man from his bed
hanged him to a
tree after
dragging the
clothes from his
back by hauling
him along the
rough ground by
a rope fastened
to his neck and
subjecting him
to gross
indignities.
Smythe accused
old Jellerson of
incest with one
of his daughters
and was so
active in
stirring up the
animosity of the
other members of
the family that
the crime came
about as the
result of a
general family
understanding.
Old Mrs.
Jellerson
recognized
Smythe and her
son Cicero in
the attack on
her husband; and
Cicero, who is
feeble minded,
made a full
confession as
soon as he was
arrested and
implicated
Wilson along
with Smythe. So
many crimes have
been committed
in Audubon
county and the
authors
permitted to go
unpunished that
the Jellerson
murder has given
rise to a
widespread mob
spirit and
threats of
lynching the
three men are
freely indulged
in. Their trial
will come up in
August.

May 24—A fire
originating in
the butcher shop
of Frank Meyer
at midnight, of
probably
incendiary
beginning,
burned the rows
of wooden
buildings on
Fourth and Fifth
streets, west of
Main street,
Carroll. The
fire fighters
were able to
save the
Commercial house
and lumber yards
adjacent by
reason of the
remarkable
stillness of the
air at the time.
The frame
buildings stood
on property
belonging to J.
E. and I. N.
Griffith and
were occupied by
small stores and
shops. The loss
is $10,000.

July 9—W. R.
Ruggles, late
treasurer of
Carroll county,
is, there is no
present doubt, a
defaulter and a
fugitive from
justice. Ruggles
was last seen in
this locality
June 28th, when
he took the
morning train
for the west,
where he told
acquaintances he
was going to
Grand Island,
Neb., to look
after business
interests. At
the meeting of
the board of
supervisors on
the 6th an
examination of
the treasurer's
books revealed a
shortage of
$24,000. The
county is
protected by a
bond of
$100,000, signed
by the
following: J. J.
Graves, H.
Winter, P. D.
Coryell, C. B.
Crittenden, Wm.
Heater, H. W.
Davenport, Edwin
Willey, Thomas
Roderick, W. S.
Winnett, Charles
Shefferd, J. A.
Sawvell, T.
Evans, A.
Zemback and W.
T. Minchen.
Ruggles'
downfall was
brought about by
unlucky dealings
on the Chicago
Board of Trade.

July 30—The
Carroll
Telephone
company has been
incorporated by
W. L.
Culbertson, John
K. Deal, Wm.
Lynch, Jr., and
V. Hinrichs,
each of whom
holds an equal
number of
shares. Work is
under way on a
line to Manning,
and it is
proposed to put
up wires and
establish
connections with
Coon Rapids,
Dedham, Arcadia,
Glidden and
Breda.

August 1—Dr. J.
M. Patty died at
his residence in
Carroll after an
illness of a few
hours. The day
before his death
he was about the
streets and
attending to his
practice. Dr.
Patty is the
pioneer
physician of
Carroll, having
established
himself here
when the town
was in its
earliest infancy
seventeen years
ago. He died at
the age of 52,
leaving a wife
and five
children and
many friends to
sorrow for him.

August 13—The
contract for the
proposed Carroll
Water Works
system is
awarded to the
Wind Engine Co.
of Batavia,
Ill., for
$9,995.

October 27—Died,
at his home in
Carroll, Monday,
Oct. 26, J. E.
Jones, at the
age of 47 years.
Mr. Jones was
one of the
pioneer business
men of Carroll,
which has been
his residence
since 1871.

November 5—At
the general
election
Cleveland
carried Carroll
county over
Blaine by a
majority of 522.
The Democrats
elected their
entire county
ticket as
follows: clerk,
J. N. Powers;
treasurer, P.
Berger;
recorder, J. P.
Hess;
supervisors,
Jos.
Rettenmaier,
Jas. Thompson.

November 10—In
the suit Carroll
county against
the bondsmen of
W. R. Ruggles,
defaulting
county
treasurer, Judge
Lyman files a
decision
sustaining the
county on every
contention. The
exact amount of
the Ruggles'
defalcation is
found to be
$23,299.64.